Weigh in on which transportation projects Salem-area planners should fund

Transportation planners are seeking your input on how to spend millions of federal dollars, with possible projects including Salem road work, sidewalk extensions and transit vehicle replacements.

Local governments are seeking up to $28 million in federal funds through the Salem-Keizer Area Transportation Study, a governing body composed of representatives from multiple cities and public transit systems in the area.

Apart from the Salem projects, there are proposals in other cities in Marion County including Keizer, Turner and Aumsville. The total amount requested in federal funds is over $59 million.

Not all projects can be funded and the organization will decide in the spring of 2026 which projects to prioritize. If approved, the funds wouldn’t be available until 2027 at the earliest.

The transportation study is seeking comments about the proposals and will consider them until April 30. Interested people can email their comments to [email protected] and find more information on the organization’s website.

Here’s a guide to what’s being proposed.

Paratransit vehicles

Agency responsible: Cherriots

Total estimated cost: $3 million

Federal money requested: $2.7 million

The Salem Area Mass Transit District, also known as Cherriots, would use money to replace 10 paratransit vehicles that are near or beyond their useful life, according to the proposal. The new vehicles would “significantly improve reliability, safety and accessibility for individuals with disabilities” who rely on public transit for essential travel, according to the proposal. 

South Salem transit center

Agency responsible: Cherriots

Total estimated cost: $26 million

Federal money requested: $1.8 million

Cherriots is also seeking money for its long-delayed project to build a transit center in south Salem by the intersection of Southeast Commercial Street and Southeast Wiltsey Road. Salem currently has one transit center downtown but lacks “a dedicated transit center for routes to start, end, and connect with one another” in south Salem, according to the proposal. 

It would include multiple bus bays, accessible platforms, amenities and a dedicated security staff. The transit center would “eliminate the need for riders to walk along and cross busy roads to transfer buses by consolidating various bus stops around the area into one central location,” according to the proposal. 

25th Street path

Agency responsible: City of Salem

Total estimated cost: $5.6 million

Federal money requested: $5 million

Another proposal would construct a 10-foot wide multi use path along the east side of Southeast 25th Street, directly west of the airport, to increase connectivity and safety for pedestrians and bicycles. That segment of the street currently “poses significant safety risks for bicyclists and pedestrians” and there were 41 crashes between 2018 and 2022, according to the proposal. 

Commercial Street improvements

Agency responsible: City of Salem

Total estimated cost: $5.2 million

Federal money requested: $4.6 million

One project would construct a 750-foot sidewalk, an additional southbound travel lane and a buffered bike lane between Southeast Madras Street and Southeast Wiltsey Road in south Salem. The proposal also includes a new pedestrian crossing at the intersection with Southeast Waln Drive. The project would address “a critical gap in pedestrian infrastructure, where no sidewalks currently exist, forcing pedestrians into bike lanes or undeveloped areas,” according to the proposal. 

Agency responsible: City of Salem

Total estimated cost: $700 million

Federal money requested: $628,110

Another project would study a set of improvements to Southeast Commercial Street including replacing two aging traffic signals, eliminating missing segments of sidewalks, repaving parts of the street and making intersections accessible. 

Sidewalk extensions

Agencies responsible: City of Salem and Marion County

Total estimated cost: $4.2 million

Federal money requested: $3.7 million

The city of Salem and Marion County are also seeking funds to construct 2,135 feet of sidewalk on the east side of Northeast Fisher Road between Northeast Ward Drive and Northeast White Oak Court in the Hayesville neighborhood. “Currently, gaps in the sidewalk network force pedestrians — including children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities — to walk in the roadway. This is especially hazardous near a public park and school bus drop-off zones,” according to the proposal. 

Agency responsible: City of Salem

Total estimated cost: $3.4 million

Federal money requested: $3 million

Another project would extend the sidewalk along the north side of Northwest Orchard Heights Road, construct a pedestrian bridge over Glenn Creek to connect pedestrians to existing park paths, install a multi-use path from Northwest Chapman Hill Drive into Orchard Heights Park and add a pedestrian island at Northwest Orchard Heights Road and Northwest Chapman Hill Drive.

Salem Heights Avenue improvements

Agency responsible: City of Salem

Total estimated cost: $5.1 million

Federal money requested: $4.6 million

The city of Salem also submitted a proposal for improvements on Southeast Salem Heights Avenue that include new pavement, travel lane striping, five-foot sidewalks on both sides, curbs, and gutters. “These enhancements will create a safer, more accessible, and efficient corridor for all users while improving long-term roadway sustainability,” according to the proposal.

New bridge near Turner

Agency responsible: Marion County

Total estimated cost: $7.9 million

Federal money requested: $7 million

Another project directly west of Turner would construct a bridge at the intersection of Battle Creek Road and Southeast Delaney Road. “These intersections have been the site of many traffic accidents over the years and this project will result in a reduction of traffic crashes due to the correction of the existing skewed intersection configurations,” according to the proposal.

Roundabout in Hayesville

Agency responsible: Marion County

Total estimated cost: $10.6 million

Federal money requested: $9.6 million

Marion County also seeks to add a roundabout to the intersection of Northeast Cordon Road and Northeast Hazelgreen Road, northeast of Salem. The current intersection often sees regular delays and rear-end crashes, according to the proposal.

Other projects around Marion County

The transportation plan also includes the following proposals outside of Salem.

• The city of Aumsville wants to extend Del Mar Drive to better connect the east and west sides of town. The project is “shovel ready” and would help significantly reduce congestion on Main Street during high traffic hours, according to the proposal. The total project cost is $4.4 million out of which the federal government would cover $3.8 million.
• The city of Keizer is seeking to add refuge medians, street lighting, buffered bike lanes and a multi-use path to North Wheatland Road from River Road to Northeast Jays Drive. The total estimated cost is nearly $9.5 million out of which the federal government would provide $8.4 million, according to the proposal.
• Another project would add sidewalks, accessible ramps and new pavement to several streets in downtown Aumsville. The estimated cost is around $3.2 million and the federal government would cover $2.8 million. 
• Marion County is also seeking funds to study future changes to the intersection of Brooklake Road and Northeast River Road near the Interstate 5-Brooks interchange, located North of Salem. The estimated cost is $570,000 out of which the federal government would cover $512,000.

Another project would add sidewalks, bicycle lanes and a right-turn lane to Southeast Delaney Road in Turner. The estimated cost is around $945,000 out of which the federal government would cover $848,000.

Contact reporter Alan Cohen: [email protected].

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